


Thereafter

by amaryllis (Lilly0)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Coping, Family, Family Feels, Friendship, Gen, Hurt Stephen Strange, Not A Fix-It, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Precious Peter Parker, Spoilers, Supreme Family, Talking, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2020-02-09 07:37:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18633721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilly0/pseuds/amaryllis
Summary: Stephen and Peter talk.SPOILERfor Endgame!!





	Thereafter

**Author's Note:**

> Once more: Heavy spoiler warning for Endgame!!!! I didn't even dare to tag this story properly. 
> 
> Also this was written for the IronStrange bingo. I know it's a stretch using a pairing-bingo card for this, because technically... well, you will see... Prompt used: Hate

“Talk to me, Peter,” Stephen urges. He takes a bottle with mineral water, twisting it in his hands before he sits down at the other side of the table. He hasn’t seen Peter in a while. Sometimes he is at the Avengers compound, mostly with Rhodey, but most of the time he visits to see Morgan.

 

Other than that Stephen has barely seen him. Let alone talked to him. Peter has just ignored pretty much anyone.

 

Stephen himself is here regularly. He doesn’t really understand why, but… deep inside he just wants to take responsibility now. He can’t leave Rhodey hanging with everything, now that Steve and Tony aren’t around anymore.

 

Peter shrugs. “There is nothing to say,” he states and looks into his book.

 

Stephen is not particularly good with reading the mood but even he understands that Peter is trying to tell him to fuck off. He takes a sip from his water. “It’s okay to miss Tony,” he finally says, trying to go for a soothing tone while he eyes Peter carefully. “It’s okay.”

 

“What do you know?” Peter grumbles.

 

“We all miss him,” Stephen points out, carefully testing the water. “Not only personally, but also… his work, his know-how, his… He always knew what to do.”

 

“You miss him?” Peter asks in disbelief.

 

Stephen feels confused. “Yes, of course I do.”

 

“Then why the heck did you let him die?” Peter huffs.

 

It slowly dawns on Stephen what this is about. “I-”

 

“You knew he would die,” Peter blurts out. “You knew it all the time, and yet you didn’t even warn me before! You let me go into this battle, knowign that…” He pauses. “Whatever,” he finishes gruffily.

 

“Peter,” Stephen starts quietly. “Any other path would have led to us losing against Thanos. The world would have been lost.”

 

“Maybe I would have preferred it that way,” Peter huffs.

 

“You don’t mean that,” Stephen argues. “Pete, it would have meant the death of so many people. Wouldn’t it have been selfish?”

 

Peter narrows his eyes. “Well, good thing you had the bigger image in mind.”

 

For a while Stephen stays silent, not sure how to answer. “I...” he pauses. “I know how you feel,” he finally says carefully.

 

“No, you don’t!” Peter snaps. “He didn’t mean anything special to you, but he did to me! Now that he is gone, I don’t have anyone here.” He pauses. “Just May.”

 

Stephen is uncertain how to continue. He can hear the reproach in Peter’s voice clearly. The anger. The guilt. Something in his chest twitches painfully “You are blaming me, you think I betrayed you,” Stephen states, trying not to sound sad while he says it. It’s not a question, because he knows the answer. “I...” he pauses. “You can blame me, all you want, but Peter, there are people here who genuinely care for you.”

 

“I don’t want anyone else,” Peter mutters, shaking his head. “No one can replace him.”

 

“That’s not what I meant to say.”

 

“Then what did you mean to say!?”

 

Stephen figures he is probably the wrong person to have this talk with a kid, mainly because he just sucks at doing it. Always did. He is just making it worse. “Sometimes, sharing your grief can help, Peter.” He pauses. “I know, there are some special people around us… and when they leave us, they also leave a void behind, and nothing can fill that void again. Tony was one of these persons. You won’t be able to replace him, you won’t need to. But with time the pain will grow into something else. You will continue his work and his legacy. You will keep him alive.”

 

Peter stares at him for a long while. It seems like he wants to say something, but then he doesn’t. It’s minutes that he just sits there without saying a word. Then he gets up. “I will visit Morgan now. I promised to build a tree house for her.”

 

He stands up, he looks less angry, but sadder now. “Peter,” Stephen says before he can close the door behind him.

 

Peter halts, looking down at the ground. “Yeah,” he says, his voice sounds strained. “Learn to move on.”

 

Stephen watches him leave before he shifts his gaze back to the water bottle in his hands. He watches the water sweep over the edge slightly.

 

I loved him too, he thinks bitterly, I loved him too.

**Author's Note:**

> I have so many difficulties coping with Endgame, I swear. It's like I lost something dear to me. I couldn't even cry during the movie, because I was so shocked and pissed. I'm not okay with this ending ><
> 
> I'm still fighting to get my motivation back to write my Tony-pairings. It's quite difficult at the moment.
> 
> I honestly feel so sad for Peter. He lost a father figure, again. 
> 
> I hope you like this short drabble, despite... well... feelings. (I don't blame Stephen by the way. It's not like he had a choice in the movie. He will have in fics though ^^)


End file.
